This invention relates generally to shoes, and more particularly to shoes wherein light weight and the ability to tailor the stiffness and flexure of the shoe is an important consideration.
Shoes encounter tremendous forces during running or sports. Over the years, efforts have been made to reduce the resultant stresses on the feet and legs. Once advance in this area has been the incorporation of cushioning material in the shoe sole to absorb the impact and cushion the foot as the shoe strikes the ground. This cushioning material is typically formed into a layer called the xe2x80x9cmidsolexe2x80x9d which is interposed between the ground-engaging xe2x80x9coutsolexe2x80x9d and the shoe upper. The cushioning midsole, which should also flex with the foot, is typically made of ethyl-vinyl-acetate (EVA) or polyurethane (PU), although other resilient, cushioning materials could be used.
While the cushioning provided by a midsole is an advantage, its added weight hinders the performance of athletic shoes (particularly running shoes), which must be as light as possible. The problem of added weight from the midsole is recognized in U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,866 issued to Foley et al. Foley et al. attempts to solve the problem by substituting an arch support in place of the midsole and outsole underlying the arch area of the foot.
The use of a midsole between the outsole and the upper also positions the foot higher above the ground, creating a less stable platform for the foot. This problem is addressed to some degree in U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,598 issued to Misevich et al. The Misevich shoe includes a heel plate between two heel midsole layers to support and cushion the heel, and a forefoot board inside the upper over a forefoot midsole layer to support and cushion the forefoot. As in Foley, Misevich eliminates the midsole beneath the arch, thereby saving some weight. Unlike Foley, however, Misevich does not provide any additional structure to support the arch.
The negative effects of the impact to the feet and legs can be amplified if the shoes are not properly shaped and tuned to the particular sport, and to the individual""s foot. Mass-produced athletic shoes come in standard sizes and shapes, and usually include an arch support designed to fit a xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d foot. Prior art shoes, such as those typified by Foley and Misevich, include no provision for tailoring the shoe to fit an individual foot, except for the use of orthotics. Orthotics are well-known in the art, and are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,747 issued to Brown. Orthotics, however useful, represent additional, undesirable weight, and also stiffen the shoe and otherwise compromise its performance.
A further disadvantage of the prior art shoes is that they cannot be readily xe2x80x9ctunedxe2x80x9d to meet the particular needs of the wearer. This is particularly important for athletes who demand maximum performance out of their shoes. What xe2x80x9ctunabilityxe2x80x9d is provided by the prior art requires a complex trade off between all of the elements of the shoe including the outsole, the midsole, and structural members that make-up the shoe, and must normally be done at the design stage, and cannot be varied by the customer.
Accordingly, a need remains for a light-weight shoe that minimizes the material in the sole, adequately supports the foot, and which can be readily customized for an individual""s foot or for a particular activity.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe, which can be customized to support the foot according to an individual""s specific characteristics and the requirements of a particular sport or activity.
It is another object of the invention to eliminate the need for an outsole and midsole which span substantially the entire length of the shoe.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a shoe having a removeable support member within the upper, and which can be selected to provide optimum support for the wearer""s foot, and which can also be selected to optimize the support and flexure characteristics of the shoe for a particular activity.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a shoe having a lacing system which does not irritate the tendons and connective tissue in the foot.
A shoe according to the invention includes an upper, a removeable chassis, or support member, within the upper to support the foot, and one or more ground-engaging sole elements affixed to the bottom of the upper at discrete locations, and which leave portions of the upper unsupported by the sole elements. The weight of the shoe is thereby minimized because the full-length midsole and outsole have been replaced by the discrete sole elements. The structural chassis may be contoured to closely fit the underside of the foot, and may include an overlayed foam insole or sock liner, which may also be contoured to fit the underside of the foot. In one embodiment, the structural chassis has one or more notches or slots in locations selected to permit a desired flexure of the foot. The length and width of the notches can be varied to vary the shoe""s flexibility. Alternatively, the structural chassis can be without flexure notches, and rely instead on differing thicknesses of materials to vary its flexibility in different areas of the shoe.
Because the structural chassis can be readily removed and another installed in its place, the shoe can be custom fitted to an individual""s foot, or optimized for a specific activity by substituting a different structural chassis.
In another aspect of the invention, a lace guide wraps under the shoe and upwardly around the sides about midway along the upper. The lace guide provides a plurality of beads through which a lace can be wrapped to secure the shoe to the user""s foot. The lace guide is made of a flexible, translucent plastic in the preferred embodiment, and is sewn into the upper with the beads exposed. The lace guide also cooperates with the structural chassis by providing a recess that receives a corresponding protrusion in the structural chassis when it is inserted into the upper. The lace guide thereby aligns the structural chassis in the upper, and helps maintains it in position while in use.
A shoe according to the present invention utilizes a single structure for altering the support and flex of the shoe, thereby overcoming the disadvantage in the prior art that requires multiple elements to be modified to achieve the same result.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.